Case Number 13032: Small Claims Court

LITTLE EINSTEINS: RACE FOR SPACE

The Charge

The Case

This is my first encounter with the Little Einsteins. They're four
friends who talk to the viewing audience and fly around in their rocket ship and
go on exciting adventures. Sign me up!

"The Treasure Behind the Little Red Door" The Einsteins are
racing a "big, mean jet" to Hawaii to retrieve a secret treasure
hidden behind a little red door. Using their handy treasure map, the kids will
follow the detailed instructions and sound cues and defeat their archenemy and
grab the treasure. But along the way, they'll face challenges like trying to
cool an erupting volcano by waving their arms, or making it over some big waves,
or encouraging rocket to walk on his spider legs by having you, the viewer,
wiggle your fingers like you're playing the piano (?!).

"Super Fast!" After a quick stop at the musical gas station
for a fill-up of "music gas," the Einsteins embark on their next
mission: to rescue three pigs flying biplanes (?!). To do this, they'll need
your help to determine which pigs correspond to which musical speed: adagio,
moderator and allegro. This particular endeavor will take them to South America
and China and outer space.

"The Great Sky Race Rematch" The Einsteins' mortal enemy
returns! Big Jet has shown up to take on Rocket in the Great Sky Race.
Unfortunately, Big Jet and his cheating ass sabotages Rocket's flying controls,
forcing Rocket to turn to his alternate abilities, pogo-jumping, cruising
underwater and turning into a locomotive (?!).

If those episodes sound bizarre that's because they are. But we're not the
target demographic, pal. The Little Einsteins are made for preschoolers
and -- to me -- appear to have been engineered with your rugrat's social,
emotional, and mental development in mind. Translation: I have no clue what the
purpose of most of the stuff going on is, but I'm also totally sure that there's
a point to it.

Episodes blend classical music with animation and incorporate recognition
exercises and audience interactivity. The Einsteins frequently ask for responses
from the viewers, both verbal and physical (move your hands! wiggle your
fingers!) and will return these requests with positive affirmation. The total
package amounts to a music-filled, colorful journey of interactivity and a
killer F-14 jets. That being said, a few more episodes would have been nice.

The DVD is typical: full frame, 2.0 stereo (French, Spanish, English), a
"Rocket-Around-the-World" set-top game and two bonus Safety
Patrol animated shorts.